


imperfect covenant

by kellzyen



Category: Archie Comics, Riverdale - Fandom, bughead - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Breakup, Happy Ending, Multi, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 08:39:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12602652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kellzyen/pseuds/kellzyen
Summary: Going above and beyond to keep the prominent people in her life safe, Betty lets go of all those who matter.this story follows up from 2x04, some parts will be au and some will be canon.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi :)  
> so after 2x04 I was feeling very dull and dreary and had all these sad theories about a bughead breakup. so this is kinda that.
> 
> I think this is going to be a multi-chapter fic, but the first is me attempting to write the epitome of a broken love story...

Broken. 

Although being extremely versed in the human language, Betty could barely conjure up a sentence to describe the aching, dull, drum-beat pain she felt. 

Broken.

It had been a week since she had ended things with Jughead. A tear-in-the-heart process, that gave her a whole new perspective on emptiness.

It was for his safety sure, but that made it no easier.

A month isn’t a long time,  
730.49 hours to be exact. But time moves slower when you’re broken, time moves slower when you’re alone.

And although the empty space next to her in a booth at pops, or the tell-tale pang in her heart she felt when working on an article alone, was almost torturous, it wasn’t the hardest part. 

The hardest part was what she had done to him. 

Betty was Jughead’s final emotional tether to the northside, his moral reckoning and someone who brought out his light.

Broken promises of staying best friends and keeping each other close, were promptly broken. And as it panned out, Jughead took a turn for the worst.

As a full fledged member of the serpents, one can only guess the antics they may get up to, and whatever springs to mind, he had most likely done it.

In one month he had participated in drug deals, countless shakedowns and reckless fights.

He would hate to admit it, but he had fallen down a hole of pure solidarity. 

See, when you shut your eyes, you see only dark and once re-opened you can adjust to the light again. 

But Jughead was on a path with his eyes glued shut, he was afraid to open them. Knowing that any light he let in, would end in pain and sorrow, just like before. 

He had spent the first two weeks crying and aching all over. Betty was his soulmate, he couldn’t fathom how much he loved her and the amount of her that was a part of him. But the pain got too much and he snapped. Turning stone cold and emotionless. He responded to his serpent duties only and cut all ties with anyone & everyone from the north side.

FP had come home that week and immediately noticed the change in his sons manor, it didn’t take him long to put two-and-two together and realise that Betty was no longer in the picture, silently guiding his son through heartbreak. 

Broken.

-

It was a Friday evening in Riverdale, and as cookie cutter as it got, Betty, Veronica and Kevin were in a booth at pops.

Mindless chatter was amidst, but Betty was distracted. Thoughts in her mind like a ticking time bomb and the unapologetic itch, to dig her nails into her palm. 

“How does that sound B?” Veronica smiled, promptly slicing through her reverie 

She shrugged lightly, hoping they wouldn’t mind her obvious cluelessness and Kevin put a gentle hand on her arm.

“Betty, are things okay” he spoke, head cocked as if trying to read her mood 

Swallowing quickly, she nodded and began to stand up.  
“I’m fine, it’s just uh- getting late, and I have to get going, my mom would want me back, especially before town curfew.”

Both Kevin and Veronica smiled sympathetically, in a way that made Betty feel guilty.

She wasn’t technically lying, her mom would infact want her home, after being the root of a serial killers crimes for a month, it only made sense that her mom had gotten stricter, masking her worry with rules. But that hadn’t been why she left. Everything felt so hum-drum and monotone, she felt numb and she needed an out.

She walked home in her own head, the steady tap of her shoes against the pavement keeping her in check. 

She jumped from her thoughts once more, when she heard the unmistakable rev of a motorcycles engine. Whipping her head round in record time, she saw five motorcycles and the leers and jostles of the riders, the serpents. 

She stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes met his. 

He was wearing his serpent jacket, beanie tucked under a bike helmet and eyes filled with suprise and pain. He began to slow down and she took a step towards his bike 

“Juggie” she whispered, eyes tearing up.

He took a long look at her, and god she was beautiful. Her hair crowning her face, golden angelic waves and those emerald eyes that would light up the dullest of rooms. 

“You coming or not?” Toni’s voice rung out from her bike, eyes flitting between the pair. “Leave her jug, you know what we talked about. Unnecessary cargo.” 

He focused on Betty, memorising every nook and cranny in her face, hoping to embed a timeless photo in his mind, of what once was his.

She kept her eyes trained on his. Taking in his stormy blues for everything they were worth, hoping to be met with what she once felt was her anchor, but only feeling pain and closed doors. 

He blinked at her once, tightened his bike helmet and drove off, into the cheers of the serpents, that rung in her ears like a mocking alarm bell.

She fell to the ground, letting out every emotion she had bottled up within her, everything that she hadn’t let slip. Sobbing until her eyes were red raw.

Her mind was spinning, memories and thoughts, both postive and negative overwhelmed her and she couldn’t break out of the fretful bubble

Digging her nails deep into her palm, she let out a jagged breath, the unspoken yet physical pain taking over her emotions.

Broken.


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hi :)  
> this is the second & final part to this little story.  
> enjoy (or cry it depends how this makes you feel)

The feeling of regret had been playing on Jugheads mind all night. 

He loathed the fact that seeing Betty just once, could open the floodgates for a sea of emotions to cause havoc in his thoughts. 

“Fuck” he muttered, pouring what would be his second glass of bourbon of the morning, it was 5 o’clock somewhere he told himself.

Countless scenarios were vouching for centre attention in his mind, the harshest winning top spot every time. The image of Betty crying, hurt, and alone. 

He hadn’t seen what she had done after he rode away, but he had heard a cry that he could recognise amongst a thousand others, and he knew he had hurt her. 

“Fuck” he growled again, slamming his glass onto the counter and rubbing his browline.

An apology? Would that do it? He knew he should apologise for what he did to her, they weren’t together and had drifted apart, but she’s was Betty for gods sake and he had hurt her. 

He shook his head, how would he even get close to her? He stayed away from the north side, apart from when nature called, and he especially stayed away from her. 

Besides, none of this would have happened if he had stayed away in the first place, if he hadn’t of stopped when he saw her. If he had just drove past. 

Except when he made the choice to drive past, he had cause the situated problem. It was a full circle dilemma.

FP emerged from his room, rubbing his eyes and letting out a yawn.

“Bit early for that don’t you think” he spoke, motioning towards the bourbon bottle.

“Pretty sure you, of all people, don’t get to tell me when to drink” he snarled taking a long sip. 

FP just chuckled lightly and walked into the kitchen.

“What’s got you so uptight” he said, eyebrow raised.

“Last night, I ran into Betty” he scowled

FP took in a sharp breath “and how’d that go son?”

“Fucking terrible” he spat “I hurt her, dad.”

“Did you speak to her?” He replied, placing a hand on Jug’s back

“No. I was going to, but Toni said something inessentialy poetic about unnecessary cargo, and I came to my senses.”

“Sounds like you weren't right on your sense though Jug. What does your heart say?”

“It doesn’t say anything. It’s stone cold, black if you will. But I want to apologise to her, she didn’t deserve that.”

“So go do it. The only person stopping you is yourself” he smiled.

Jug thought for a short while and nodded with a chuckle “Hey when did you become a reformed agony aunt?” 

FP laughed and slapped his back playfully  
“Someone’s got to tell you what to do, brooders don’t have much sense”

Jug smiled and gave him an affectionate middle finger, before putting on his denim sherpa jacket and walking out the trailer.

“Hey you” Toni called, sat outside her own trailer, a no-name female southsider on her arm.

“Hey T” Jug said, tightening his bike helmet 

“Where are you off to this early? I’m suprised you’re not half dead from the amount of alcohol you’ve consumed.”

He laughed and started up his bike  
“I have errands to run. Enjoy your lady friend” 

She flipped him off with a grin, before waving goodbye, as he drove off site and towards a place of impending dread.

-

Fifteen minutes later he arrived at the Cooper household, a journey that took both too long and too little.

Deciding the front door was too much of a noticeable move, he took to climbing up the ladder that was still placed against her window.

A wave of unwanted nostalgia washed over him, as the memory of their first kiss taunted his thoughts. 

He shook his head quickly, like clearing an etch-a-sketch. This wasn’t about their once-was relationship, he would apologise to her and then leave, simple.

With a dragged out gulp, he tapped her window, praying that she wouldn’t re-draw the curtains the moment she saw it was him.

Betty looked up from her journal at the noise, and turned her head towards the window. 

She went still and felt a rush of anxiety come over her. 

“It’s not him” she muttered to herself. 

She had longed for this scenario. For Jug to tap on her window like before, forbidden whispers and kisses shared, where it was just them in a blissful bubble of love.

But now the thought of Jughead actually at her window, seemed anything but blissful. Especially since last nights run- in.

She got up shaking her head, telling herself it was just the wind, and drew the curtains, before breathing in so fast she almost choked.

It was him.

She scrambled with the locks on the window and opened it, stepping out of the way and silently inviting him in.

He climbed through and stood in front of her, playing with a strand of his hair. Betty recognised the nervous tick almost immediately, and had to stop herself from taking his hands in hers.

“Why-“ she started

He shook his head, cutting her off and visibly swallowed.

“Betty, um - last night. I hurt you. That wasn’t my aim and seeing you hurt, I can’t - It’s not.. It was wrong, and I’m sorry.”

Betty felt tears prick in her eyes. This was the first time they had spoken since ending things and even this small interaction was taking a toll on her.

“Jughead” She sniffled “You don’t have to apologise. I get it, unnecessary cargo.”

He winced as she repeated Toni’s words realising they had affected her and itched to take her hands in his. Glancing at them out of habit, he noticed the bandages strung across her palms and realised she had hurt herself again, it was like a punch in the gut.

“Betts, your hands” he said, eyes full of panic.

She looked down at her hands, realising her bandages were a tell-tale sign of what she had done and closed them quickly. She turned away from him, a tear of shame rolling down her cheek.

He put his hand on her shoulder gently, moving her to face him. She began crying harder, the long-craved psychical contact overwhelming her completely. 

“Juggie” she whispered brokenly, before winding her arms tightly around his neck.

He was hestitant at first, before returning the hug, wrapping his arms around her waist and breathing in her scent.

“What happened Betty” he mumbled into her hair

She pulled out of the hug and looked up at him, trying to keep her breathing steady.

“I was doing so well Jug, I hadn’t done it in so long. But last night, everything was too much. I needed to pierce through this stupid front I’ve been putting up”

He put his hand on her cheek and nodded, encouraging her to continue.

“Ending things with you, was the most painful thing, I have ever experienced in my life. I literally felt like my heart was torn out of my chest. The impact it had on you increased the pain tenfold.”

Jughead swallowed and blinked back the tears he felt pricking in his eyes.

“Loosing you was the worst thing that ever happened to me Betty. I couldn’t deal with the pain, I flipped what felt like a switch for my emotions and the pain somewhat stopped. But seeing you last night brought it all back, those blue eyes have me a goner.”

Betty laughed through her tears and put her hand over his.

“You make me so happy Jug. I want to be with you, I want to be near you, I want to kiss you, I just want you. But it’s so dangerous, and if anything was to ever happen to you, I would never forgive myself.”

Jug let a lone tear rolled down his face and pressed a featherlight kiss to her forehead 

“I understand Betty, I do. I just - I need you.”

More tears spilled over Betty’s eyes and she pressed on Jugs lip with her thumb.

“Its too dangerous for us to be together Jug. The black hood, he wants me alone, isolated. He’s threatened to kill you once and I’m guessing he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again” 

“You don’t deserve this” he said sadly, bringing his other hand to her cheek 

“Nor do you Jug. I’m hurting you, pulling you around. And the black hood, threatening you? I’m so sorry.” 

“No don’t blame yourself ” he said shaking his head “This is completely out of your hands Betty, you’re not in fault”

She looked at his face then his lips and kissed him softly. He returned the kiss, desperately. He had missed kissing her, the movement of her lips againts his and the taste of honey she acquired. 

Betty pulled back gently with fresh tears in her eyes and put her hands on his face  
“I love you Jughead”

Jug looked at her with eyes full of ardour. If someone were to freeze frame his face in that moment, it would tell the unspoken story of a boy that was completely infatuated. 

He kissed her again, this time harder, like he was worried she would slip from under his fingertips. 

“Promise” he whispered against her lips

“Promise what” she whispered back, rubbing his neck gently

“Promise I won’t loose you” he said holding her gaze

“I promise Jug” she whispered 

He pulled her into his chest and hugged her tightly, she clung to him, knowing this was a feeling she didn’t want to loose again.

“I love you Betty” he mumbled against her head 

“We have to figure this out Juggie. I believe in us, in you.”

“I wonder if Nancy Drew had relationship problems” he said, grinning as she playfully pushed him. “We’ll figure it out Betts, we always do.

She rested her forehead on his and they stood there in comfortable silence. 

There were a few questions hanging above there heads; How would they stay together without Jug getting hurt? How would Betty adapt to his new serpent duties? How would they tell everyone that they made it work? Betty knew they needed to discuss those things, but not now. 

The past month had been full of broken hearts and imperfect covenants. right now she wanted to be blissfully ignorant about their upcoming struggles, and as painfully cliché as it was, live in the moment.

 

Jughead knew that they had opened the door to a lot of trouble. But they had gotten through their first set of turbulence. And as Betty pushed her head into the crook of his neck, he decided there was no other way he would have it. 

Whole.


End file.
